Principal HR Consultant

Job Description:

• Serve as the primary advisor to people managers and organizational leaders on a wide range of employee relations matters, including performance concerns, interpersonal conflicts, accommodations, and corrective actions
• Provide real-time guidance and problem-solving on employee issues, while scaffolding and equipping managers and leaders with long-term strategies for sustainable resolution
• Partner with people managers to implement performance improvement plans and manage progressive discipline practices, balancing legal compliance alongside equitable and strengths-based practices
• Investigate and support resolution of employee complaints, escalating appropriately and ensuring alignment with legal obligations and organizational values
• Deliver “push in” conflict resolution support, including mediations and facilitated conversations
• Lead and manage leave of absence cases, ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state laws, consistent application of organizational policies, and accurate payroll processing through clear direction and handoffs
• Help organizations assess and mitigate risk by ensuring alignment with employment law, internal policies, and best practices
• Provide clear, actionable recommendations and documentation that supports compliance and effective management
• Collaborate with legal counsel and PositivelyHR leadership to address high-level, high-risk, or highly complex issues
• Coach managers and leaders through sensitive personnel decisions, building their people management skill and confidence when navigating sensitive employee matters
• Support the rollout of HR policies and people practices by helping managers apply them in practical, values-aligned ways
• Facilitate manager learning opportunities–including office hours and workshops–on performance management topics such as goal-setting, leading performance conversations, etc.
• Help managers and leaders build internal muscle for handling employee issues by modeling effective conversations, documentation, and strategic thinking
• Partner closely with other members of the PositivelyHR team to ensure coordinated, high-quality service and support to each client
• Maintain strong documentation of casework, interventions, and client communications in alignment with internal protocols
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of internal tools and processes including workflows, templates, and guidance materials to necessary to support the scaling of high-quality PositivelyHR services
• May support the development or refinement of related employee handbook policies
• Stay current on employment law developments, HR best practices, and contribute to internal learning and development efforts

Requirements:

• 8+ years of progressive HR experience, including substantial experience advising managers on performance management, leaves (including state statutory leaves), and employee relations
• In-depth knowledge of employment laws and HR compliance practices, particularly related to accommodations, FMLA, wage & hour, and disciplinary actions.
• Must have experience navigating employment law in states with a complex legal landscape (i.e. CA, NY, etc.)
• Proven ability to identify patterns or recurring needs to build or improve tools, templates, or frameworks enabling a consistent, impactful experience for positivelyhr clients and their managers.
• Ability to deliver on this strategic, high-impact work while effectively balancing the day-to-day needs of clients and managers
• Demonstrated success guiding and coaching supervisors through difficult personnel issues with a strengths-based, equity-focused lens
• Strong judgment and the ability to assess and respond in real time during meetings, coaching conversations, or employee interactions while maintaining alignment with policies and organizational values
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate legal and technical guidance into practical, values-aligned advice
• Experience in a high-volume, multi-stakeholder environment—such as an HR outsourcing firm, PEO/ASO service organization, consulting or professional services firm, or a headquarters/shared-services role in a large or matrixed, multi-site organization—providing ongoing support to a portfolio of clients, departments, or regions with diverse needs and priorities.
• Preference for individuals with experience working in or with non-profit organizations
• Skilled at balancing care for individual employees with the needs and responsibilities of the broader organization
• High emotional intelligence and a calm, professional approach under pressure
• Strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and people-centered HR practices
• Preference for individuals with a professional certification (e.g., SHRM-SCP, SPHR)
• Must be located in the United States and willing to work eastern timezone hours to accommodate Positively Partners’ primarily east coast clients

Benefits:

• access to high-quality, inclusive health benefits
• an opportunity for an end of year discretionary bonus calculated in equal measure based on individual, team, and organizational performance
• supporting employee growth in our field, including providing training and support on an ongoing basis

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